


When Winter Comes

by vaporrub



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Childhood Friends, Christmas, Christmas Party, F/F, First Meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28331244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaporrub/pseuds/vaporrub
Summary: Jade, as a young girl, met a life long friend at a Christmas party. Now that Jade is older, she realizes the admiration she harbored for her friend was more than friendly.
Relationships: Jade Harley/Rose Lalonde
Kudos: 3





	When Winter Comes

You twiddle with your thumbs. You've been trying to work up the nerve to talk to the only other girl your age at the party that your grandpa dragged you too. All the adults were dressed up in suits or ugly sweaters. Laughing and drinking from funny shaped glasses. 

Your grandpa told you that you couldn't have any grown up juice but you didn't want any of that stuff anyway! It smelt like sour grapes that went bad! Your grandpa kept making fun of you, claiming that you always pretend to be a little grown up. You don’t wanna be a grown up! You just wanna be a scientist. Your grandpa told you that you’re gonna have to grow up to become a business lady though and take care of all of his businesses when he  _ kicks the bucket,  _ whatever that means.

And even though you don’t want any of the gross wine, you still are thirsty. 

It didn’t take long before one of the butlers came around to you and brought you a little juice box. You finish it in a second and then you get right to work eating all the cocktail weenies on the table next to you. None of the adults are eating anything anyway so you don’t feel bad. They are just talking and laughing really loud.

You're still staring at the girl your age. She's sitting down, still dressed in her bright pink winter coat. She's reading a book and it doesn't look like a picture book, maybe she's really smart like you! You hope so. Your grandpa's been missing for a while now. If you could only find him you could ask for him to introduce you... you're too shy to walk up to her.

Some woman with short platinum blonde hair walked up to the girl and pointed over at you. Your eyes widened. That woman is pointing out that you're staring and probably adding in that you have been staring for quiet some time. 

The young girl let out a sigh and began walking over to you. Her coat must have been tight on her because she was taking the tiniest steps you’ve ever seen anyone take. 

You felt your face start to turn hot. You’ve never really had any friends other than your dog, you don’t even know what to say to her when she comes over other than, “um… hi…”

“Hello.” The younger girl sweetly tells you, “my name is Rose.”

“Um…" You scan your mind for something to say, "uh-" anything! "Do you like to read?”

Rose stares at you and flatly says, “so you’ve noticed.”

You lightly laugh. She talks like the grown ups do. You ignore how annoyed she looks and walk over to the chair she was sitting in. When you get over to the chair, you plop down onto it and kick up your short legs, “I like reading too. Um… what kind of things do you like to read?”

“Usually psych books." Rose shrugs as she settles into the chair next to you, "right now, fantasy novels.”

“Oh! Fantasy books!" You clap your hands, thinking of unicorns with flowing mains and waterfalls filed with silver waters, "that sounds like fun!”

Rose places her book down onto her lap, you notice that it's bound with leather and looks dreadfully dull. Maybe it's more like bridge trolls and evil warlocks and mean stuff only grown ups think is cool. 

Rose turns to you and promptly asks, “do you like books?”

At the sound of the question your smile spreads wide across your face,  “I’m reading a book about quantum physics right now!”

Rose tilts her head, she gives you a smile that makes her look clever and cunning, like a smug house cat, “really now?”

“Yeah! Um…" You feel nervous asking her this but... "I could show you, I brought a book with me to read, uh... it’s in my bag. I don’t know where the butler took it though.

“Oh. Well. I could grab someone for you and we can have them bring the bag here." Rose sits up from the couch and places her book down onto her side of the seat. She turns to you and corrects herself, "that is... if you'd like to read on the couch with me.”

You start bubbling over with joy. You clench your fists and bring them tight into your chest. This is a first for you! You smile and bob your head up and down as a yes. You kick your legs up and down as you watch Rose go grab and adult to find your stuff. You smile as you watch her tug on a man's sleeve to get his attention and politely ask for your book. You watch her with immense joy. She's the first friend your age you've ever made. 

* * *

You're tapping your fingers. Looking down at the streets and people watching. When you were just a young girl, you spent a Christmas in some CEO's mansion. It was dreadful and boring, like all parties that you were actually invited too were, but you did meet a young girl there. You read books with her and you listened to her talk about psychology. You took her word as gospel then, as if a seven year old girl could be an expert. She confessed to you only recently that she only truly started understanding Jung's words recently. You're glad Rose trusts you enough as a friend to confined something like that to you. She always seems so proud, so sure of herself... that's probably why you're head over heels for her.

A breath of stale air exits your lungs as you sigh. You focus your attention back onto the people walking through the streets as you watch on with tired eyes. You rest your chin down on one relaxed fist. You're currently in Munich, visiting Germany for the holidays. It's already getting dark out. Christmas is almost over. The people in the street are drinking wine and singing loudly. Some pedestrians just look like they have places to go, they probably just want to get home after whatever celebration they just had... while you've had none. You didn't even eat dinner yet, you're too nervous. You'd rather just people watch until... till... then you spot some woman wearing heels. Pastel pink hat, a long white scarf, and of course, a purple overcoat. The colors caught your eye, but you recognize her just from the way she walks. When she comes up here, you're not sure what you're going to do.

It feels like years and seconds all the same before you hear a knocking on your door from your butler that is escorting you through Europe. Behind him stands a fifteen year old girl and two other butlers, all struggling to carry her luggage as well as their own. 

You chuckle. She steps forward and grabs onto your arms as your butler closes the door behind her. Rose makes the gesture of kissing both of your cheeks and you do the same. She pulls away and then Rose glances down at your Christmas sweater. She makes a face like she can't believe what she's seeing. You're basically a walking talking Christmas tree, with a star on your head and everything. You hope that the Santa slippers aren't too much for her. After all, it does looks like he's eating your feet or something and you don't want her to tell you some kind of Freudian thing that her mind just associated that with. Thankfully she's not looking down at your slippers or your tinsel laced skirt. She's just looking at your sweater, staring and her face completely flushes pink. You tilt your head and hum. Basically asking her, "???" with a simple gesture. Maybe she's embarrassed because the scarf you're wearing around your neck is one that she knit when she was just starting out the hobby back when she was twelve. Maybe she's surprised it survived with you that long without getting lost in your endless closets back in Hawaii. 

You'd think that Roses face would have turned red in all that cold, but no, something on your chest must have shocked her. When you look down at your chest you realize that... oh... You look back up at her and laugh. You keep giggling to yourself as Rose stammers. She brings her fist up to her lips and then clears her throat. "It's been a while since I've been able to see you in person, Jade and... it seems you've... uh- grown since the last few months we've spoke... in uh... person." She mutters to herself, "damn it, now i'm just talking in circles."

You're still holding onto her cold hands. You pull them closer to your chest as you laugh. She's always so cute to you. You place your lips onto hers and just as quick as you do, you feel your whole body heat up. Rose is flushing like a Christmas light and you're about to melt like a snowman in spring. You feel like punching yourself for just doing that! She might not even like you! Why would you- Rose's hands tremble underneath yours. She places another kiss onto your cheek and then turns away. You rub the back of her hand with one of your thumbs as you watch Rose with care in your eyes and in your heart.

You don't think you could have asked for a sweeter gift on Christmas. 


End file.
